10 QUESTIONS TO: Roderic Waibel

Roderic Waibel is the mind behind Chromatic Dungeons - Old School Fantasy RPG Rules, currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter.

Roderic has already published a series of old school adventures and the Altus Adventum RPG, and he’s also contributed a lot of illustrations for several products by Raging Swan Press (among others). 

This time, with Chromatic Dungeons, he is offering an old school ruleset which is largely compatible with the earlier editions of D&D.

But who is Roderic? Rod is a nice guy from Portland, Oregon. When he’s not busy with RPGs, he’s a father and also a system analyst!

1 Hello Roderic. First of all, tell us about Chromatic Dungeons, as if you were trying to explain it to my aunt!

Well, Chromatic Dungeons is a tabletop role-playing game.  I’m going to really simplify down what that is, because I don’t want to insult your audience by going on and on with something they may already know.  In a nutshell, all players but one take on the role of a persona they want to play in the game: warrior, wizard, etc.  The other player controls all of the other creatures the players run into in the game (the Game Master).  Basically, a giant game of pretend.  With dice and unknown outcomes.  And lots of fun.  What makes Chromatic Dungeons different is that it replicates that old school feel when the game first took off in the 70s and 80s, but applies some lessons learned rules-wise, and is presented to be welcoming and inclusive of all gamers.  Back then, it was catered to white young males.  As one myself, it was right up my alley.  But looking back, and looking at how things are today, the game wasn’t presented all that well for those who weren’t white young males.  Not a dig on the original creators, as it was a product of its time.  But I believe that there is room in the modern era to also enjoy an old school game, and to have it representative of who are gamers today.

2 Tell us more about the contributors to Chromatic Dungeons, who designed that stylish character sheet, and why you’re not doing any art for the game??

Well, I did the design of the character sheet lol, so there’s your art from me.  Actually, there are a few other pieces of art by me, but I kept myself off the artist’s credit list because it’s not about celebrating me, it’s about celebrating them.  I am exceptionally lucky to have had some excellent contributors to this.  Evlyn Moreau was my primary sensitivity reader, but I also reached out and had consultation from Teo Morgan (Dungeons&Diversity), Luca Alexander Volpino, and Jennifer Kretchmer (who created a great adventure in the recently released Candlekeep book from WoTC).  For artists, I hired people from literally around the world: Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Uganda, the US, Britain, Poland, etc.  Cultural appropriation is a big deal for me to avoid, and I found hiring diverse artists from all over helps prevent that.  

 3 You haven’t released a “quick start” or “sample” pdf of Chromatic Dungeons. Any chance you will during the campaign?

There is a really good chance of that :)  The basic set is already done, and there just might be a pdf release of it for free during the campaign….

4 I’d really like to know, rules-wise, which edition of D&D is the closest to Chromatic Dungeons, and what changes in the rules differentiate it from a faithful retroclone.

The game is sort of a mix-match of what I feel are the best elements of Basic/Expert, 1e, and 2e.  For example, alignment is simplified, and more along the rules of B/X.  Speaking of, one of the big changes is that no mundane intelligent humanoid has a default alignment, like orcs, goblins, etc.  That’s up to the individual game table.  Classes are structured like 2e, with them belonging to class groups.  Fighters, berserkers, paladins, and rangers all belong to the Warrior group for example.  But the aesthetic is very much 1e.  The goal is to be compatible with those older adventures with the least amount of conversion, so there are many similarities.  

Other big changes include using an ascending AC rather than THAC0 or attack tables, and giving each class something at every level--a class feature.  Races are now called Ancesteries, and rather than stat bonuses based on ancestry, you get them based on class choice.  Introduced are heritages.  Rather than get a long list of traits from ancestries like in AD&D, you get some, but most are based on your heritage choices.  A character with a fey heritage would get resistance to sleep and charm magic, for example.  There are many, many heritages to choose from :) 

5 Your project is the perfect example of what crowdfunding was originally designed for. Through the years, though, it has become more and more important even for the “big players” in the RPG industry.

Do you consider that unfair? Or is the presence of big publishers beneficial to the small ones? Do you see that changing anytime soon? How would YOU like things to change?

I don’t consider it unfair.  Really, if the big players are using KS, they are doing themselves a disfavor, as KS takes a big cut.  Ideally with a good business model, they shouldn’t have to use KS but could use their existing customer base.

The only thing I’d like to change is the reliability and refund options.  In our industry in particular, there are way too many creators who created a project, took the money, and never delivered.  I’d create a rule that if you haven’t fulfilled a past project, you aren’t allowed to create another.  It’s a sore spot for me.  It’s also why I made sure I created this project to completion before launching.  The work is done.  You will get what you back (assuming project funds).

5 You’re a white male living in the US, who started gaming in the 80s, launching a game that aims at being welcoming to all gamers of every demographic to better represent just how diverse our hobby has become. I’m sure you must have pondered this a lot, what convinced you to take this step? 

I was expecting this question to be the first, and am honestly surprised more people haven’t asked me.  It’s a totally fair question.  I’m part of the privileged group, so why am I doing this?

I certainly do not in any way am trying to speak for any marginalized group, and I want to put that out there straight away.  First a bit of background.  I served in the military when I was younger, and all of us who did so swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the US.  That’s important, because that document has many amendments, not just the 2nd.  To be frank, several of those (the 4th, 5th, 8th, 14th, and 15th in particular) have been violated, particularly if you’re a person of color in this country or other minority.  Fairness and equality are important to me, or I wouldn’t have sworn to uphold them.

Then I’ve also got a mixed race family.  Seeing my oldest son grow up through his eyes as a black man in the US was, pardon the pun, eye opening indeed.  And then I’ve also got many close friends and other family members who are part of the LGBTQ community, and my heart hurts from all the things they suffer every day.

But it all comes down to being fair and equal to everyone.  So when I keep hearing folks who proclaim to speak for the OSR (old school revival) community repeat toxic, bigoted, and exclusionary statements about a game I love, I’m not going to take it lying down.  The OSR is for everyone.  They don’t speak for me.  I’m not going to let them take down and destroy something I think is great.

And then there’s the whole garbage fire over the past two weeks with the new TSR, Ernie Gygax Jr, Justin LaNassa, and crew.  The timing of this project was a coincidence with that, but it just reaffirms it’s needed.

6 Inclusion and representation of minorities in RPGs have become a hot topic, recently. How does Chromatic Dungeons address that within the game?

The most obvious is to look at the art.  It’s very diverse, done by diverse artists.  And as I mentioned earlier, if the art represents a certain culture, an artist from that culture did the work.  Additionally, one of the recurring NPCs in the book is Faridah.  They are in the character creation section, and appear later on as well.  Faridah is a trans woman who identifies with they/them.  So to be respectful, I ensured I had a trans woman do the art for them.  Now, you might not ever know that by reading the book, because I am not taking an approach of “Look at me!  I’m a gay or trans character!”  Rather I’m simply including them like anyone else.  Gender and sexuality aren’t mentioned unless that aspect is important to the game or story.  We don’t have to (and in my opinion shouldn’t) include underrepresented minorities and then put a giant flag that says “Look at me!  I’m a minority!”  We simply just need to treat everyone the same, and include everyone.  I want this book to be one where anyone can pick it up regardless  of age, body type, gender, orientation, ethnicity, etc and see someone that can represent them.

7 Tell us more about the stretch goals of Chromatic Dungeons!

The first stretch goal is the basic set.  VERY streamlined ruleset, even more basic than the B/X D&D version.  It’s meant to be a quick start into rpgs.  If it gets unlocked, the pdf will automatically be a free download to everyone, regardless of backer level.

The other stretch goals are the zines.  Each one is about 24-28 pages, and has a central theme: either a highlight for a monster, or a new class.  For example, the first issue is about the Mrav Covjeka (and ant-human hybrid).  There is an ecology section for them, stat blocks, a small adventure, and then some goodies like a comic humor section, new magic items, and NPCs you can put in your campaign.  

8 Let’s talk about you as a family man. Already started playing RPGs with the young ones? What are your thoughts about RPGs with younger players?

LOVE IT!  The great thing about kids is that they don’t have preconceived notions about how to play.  They let their imagination run wild.  It’s great.  Just two days ago, I was reading one of those old Endless Quest D&D books (Dungeon of Dread) to a six year old.  You know the choose your own adventure format?  Where you read and then get a couple choices?  Well, before we even got to the choices part, as I’m describing that there’s this giant ogre in the room but hasn’t noticed him yet, he interrupts me and says, “I take my rope out of my backpack and set up a booby trap!”  It was great.  Kids naturally fall into that role-playing mode.

9 “KS days are crazy days”. How are you coping?

I’m glad I have a great day job lol.  Right now super busy after launch, and I’m trying to keep up with all the questions while also trying to spread the word.  Honestly, one of the best things that could happen to me is if someone can’t back the project for whatever reason, they can still share it.  Boosting the signal would be the biggest favor for me.  Every once in a while imposter syndrome kicks in when I don’t get as many backers as I’d hope, but it’s a campaign, and gotta stick with it.  I honestly think I’m doing the right thing.  And it’s a fun game!  I don’t want that to get overshadowed by the diversity part of it.

10 Please point us to a song you think we should listen to.

O Fortuna, Carmina Burana.  To get you in the mood for fantasy lol.  Outside of that?  A good song to get what I’m trying to do, and also from the 80s (same era as the game I’m replicating)?  That’s Just the Way it is, by Bruce Hornsby, or Another Day In Paradise by Phil Collins.  Great songs.  And sadly relevant.  

Thank you Roderic for your time, and best luck with Chromatic Dungeons!

Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity.

Stay tuned for more interviews! Hit me on the Axian Spice Facebook page, on Twitter or even on Telegram to never miss one! 

If you want to support this blog, check my OSR and Savage Worlds stuff, or simply shop on DriveTrhuRPG (affiliate link).

10 QUESTIONS TO: Allan Wroe

Allan Wroe is the mind behind The Secret Files of Section D, an officially licensed Pulp / Espionage Roleplaying Game setting for Savage Worlds Adventure Edition, currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter.

Allan has previously written an adventure for Triple Ace Games' Hellfrost but this is, as yet, unpublished and believed to be scheduled for the Hellfrost Second Edition… But now he’s taken the big step! He got his Ace License from Pinnacle Entertainment Group and is launching his setting book for Savage Worlds Adventure Edition.

But who is Allan? Allan is a nice guy from Manchester (and the word for that is Mancunian, believe it or not!). He’s worked in the print and packaging industry and IT Recruitment, but is now determined to make a career as an author, designer and publisher. He’s got a clever, amiable sense of humour and knows how to pour it into his writings.

1 Hello Allan. First of all, tell us about The Secret Files of Section D, as if you were trying to explain it to my aunt!

Hi there, thanks for giving me the opportunity to chat about my baby! And ciao Zia Rotondo!

The Secret Files of Section D is a tongue-in-cheek game about the adventures of a group of fictional spies who work for a real world organisation. Section D of the Secret Intelligence Service existed in the late 1930s and ultimately became a part of the Special Operations Executive. Imagine Indiana Jones, Reilly Ace of Spies and Monty Python in one book!

2 What are the influences from any type of media that are more easily recognizable in Section D?

It’s hard to ignore things like the Indiana Jones and Mummy movies when you’re writing something like this so there is a definite influence there. X Company, a fantastic series about WWII resistance fighters, was also a big influence but shows the very serious side of clandestine operations in occupied Europe. 

Added to this are more comedic elements from TV shows like Blackadder Goes Forth and the sublime ‘Allo ‘Allo which both show the more farcical (or should that be futile) side of war. 

Lastly, we took a lot of inspiration from the “dime book” novels and comics of the era to establish the look and feel of the game. The Commando comic books also heavily influenced the art style. The artwork in the book is mostly provided by Mat McGawley but there are a  couple of other contributors as well. 

3 The Taster Edition of Section D shows a nice mix of pulp action and subtle humour. How are they developed in the full game?

A lot of this comes from the new Edges and Hindrances I’ve written for the game. For example, the Edge “Magic Laundry”, which is previewed in the Taster Edition, draws heavily on James Bond and The Last Action Hero. No matter what the hero goes through, they always look immaculate within moments. Humour around a game table almost always comes from the players so I’ve made sure there are plenty of tools to allow opportunities to try outlandish things. 

Worth noting is that the book presents the world pretty much as it was in 1938 when Section D was founded. The pulp and humour elements are built on the top of that but it’s often the case that the truth is stranger than the fiction!

4 You’ve released the Taster Edition free PDF of Section D a few weeks ago. What feedback have you received? Has it proved helpful?

We’ve had close to 500 downloads of the Taster Edition and most of the feedback received has been extremely positive. People feel the art style, while not like modern RPG books, is fitting for the time period (which is what we were going for) and the few Edges and Hindrances they’ve seen are appropriate to the setting. In general the look and feel of the Taster Edition was well received though a couple of people commented that the text spacing could have been a bit more generous. I’ve taken those comments on board and when layout starts for the full setting there will be subtle changes. 

I haven’t received any scathing criticism as yet so I’m taking that as a good thing!

5 You’re currently using Kickstarter to fund your first big project, which is the perfect example of what crowdfunding was originally designed for. Through the years, though, it has become more and more important even for the “big players” in the RPG industry.

Do you consider that unfair? Or is the presence of big publishers beneficial to the small ones? Do you see that changing anytime soon? How would YOU like things to change?

It’s fair to say that Kickstarter is now the most used route to market for RPGs and Table Top Games in general. Without it, I think our industry would be a much poorer place. 

I don’t consider it “unfair” for the larger publishers to use Kickstarter at all, in fact I’d say a lot of them are now big publishers because of Kickstarter. The larger companies draw the audience to the platform and help the smaller ones get noticed. Pinnacle is a great example because they put out great products. I hope that by association, my product will also be seen as great. If Pinnacle trust me enough to give me an ACE license then maybe the backers will also give that trust. 

How would I like things to change? That’s a great question. One thing I would like to see more of in Kickstarter is support for retailers, particularly in the games industry. A lot of companies use Kickstarter to bypass the FLGS and I think as publishers we should be supporting them. That’s why The Secret Files of Section D Kickstarter has a retail pledge at a wholesale price. We want to open up that channel and build a relationship with game stores and gamers around the world. 

6 You’re an Englishman launching a setting about a British intelligence group, for a game whose audience mainly is from the US. Do you see a challenge or an extra value in that?

Another great question. I certainly don’t see it as a major challenge, at the end of the day it’s a roleplaying game so, by definition, it’s supposed to take people out of their day-to-day life. Also, I think if you ask pretty much anybody to name a spy they’ll say “James Bond”. Ian Fleming was heavily influenced by Section D and the SOE when he wrote the initial Bond stories. 

I’ve had really good feedback from US based people I’ve spoken with and I ran three sessions for the recent Hollerween event which were really well received by a primarily US based audience.

There’s no reason at all why players couldn’t play a US agent, in fact one of the pregenerated characters in the Taster Edition is American. At the time of the beginnings of Section D, the US didn’t really have anything other than Naval Intelligence by way of a clandestine unit. Who is to say that an American wasn’t seconded to Section D to ultimately help set up the OSS?  

I will say at this point though, US based readers should have a read of question 9!

7 Inclusion and representation of minorities in RPGs have become a hot topic, recently. How does Section D address that? And I’m asking both as a product and as the in-game organization.

This is something I thought very hard about when I started planning the book because we’re talking about a different era with different attitudes and, let’s face it, some pretty horrendous things were happening in the world. 

The history of the real Section D actually gives the best answer to the “in-game organization” question so I’ll address that first: 

One of my best information sources for the game is a book called Section D For Destruction, superbly written by historian Malcolm Atkin. The book discusses some of the recruitment techniques for Section D and, for the time period, the methods were groundbreaking. Candidates were targeted (you didn’t apply for Section D, they found you!) for recruitment because they had a particular skill set and that was all. It’s worth mentioning at this point that most people targeted for Section D were experts in communications, journalism / propaganda, engineering and so forth. They weren’t “soldiers” for the most part. Gender, sexual orientation, religion and ethnic background were largely irrelevant, it was the skills that mattered. For example, It is now known that Section D’s upper echelons hid the fact that several of its agents were homosexual at a time when homosexuality was illegal in Britain. Section D recruited from all over Europe, and further afield, and trained agents to go into situations where a heterosexual, male, anglo saxon christian might stand out like a car at a bike show. 

So it’s safe to say, any character a player can come up with is likely to be fine from an historical point of view. 

As for handling the inclusion and representation of minorities as a product, that’s a tougher question. As I mentioned above, The Secret Files of Section D is set at a time when the world had different attitudes and while I certainly don’t share those attitudes, I can’t say  they didn’t exist.

In game terms, the GM will be advised on the historic attitudes of some people to certain others but also that bringing those into the game should probably be avoided. In some circumstances that may make roleplaying a certain situation a little less realistic but certainly more palatable. We want to encourage players to play any character they can dream up without boundaries. 

8 Let’s see how good you really are as a role player. Now you are a Hollywood screenwriter and must write a short email to convince Mr. Warner Bros to produce a movie based on The Secret Files of Section D. Go!

Dear Mr Warner,

Please read this like you are the movie trailer voiceover guy. 

“In a world where Nazi Pseudo Science, Miracles and Magic are real, and sinister figures stalk the shadowy corridors of power, a group of secret agents with an overriding mission to protect King and Country take on their greatest adventure yet.”

Cut to action montage: 

Silhouetted figures rappelling from a gigantic airship onto the roof of the British Museum

Fleeting glimpses of a high speed car chase through 1930s London

A huge brawl in a casino 

A deep volcanic cave in which stands a maniacal villain, a strange statue stands behind him bathed in a lava red glow. The villain speaks…

“You cannot stop me! Soon, you will be dead and the Fuhrer will live FOREVER!! Muahahaaaa”

Back to voiceover guy

“Can Section D save the world again and blow up some really big stuff? Find out in the new Section D movie, Trouble In Tripoli”

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

9 You’re quite the creative, so I’m sure you already have at least three other ideas for new RPG products that you might be publishing in the future! Am I right?

Absolutely right! The Secret Files of Section D takes the unit through to the end of WWII time wise. Section D doesn’t have to be a WWII game but the world changed in 1945. It’s worth noting that officially Section D was merged into the Special Operations Executive in 1940. We like to think, somewhere within the depths of the intelligence network, there is still a Section D for Destruction!

The second book handles the Cold War era which has some really interesting possibilities. The CIA and other agencies are introduced as sides change, enemies become allies and vice versa, and the arms and space races begin. It’s also the era of UFO paranoia and Project Blue Book etc. So the pulp and espionage elements are huge for this expansion. 

Next is the modern era expansion with much cooler gadgets and more dangerous villains. The battlegrounds may change but the threats are always very real!

I also have a whole bunch of adventure ideas to develop. Section D is supposed to be a little bit of off the wall fun but I have ideas for a more serious campaign which is rooted in actual WWII history rather than alternate history. It’s more gritty but if there’s a desire from players for it then it will get done. 

10 If you could buy any franchise/IP for an RPG, which would it be? Tell us about the franchise and the game you’d make.

An easy question at last! I really want to make an RPG set in David Gemmell’s Drenai world. It’s a series I’ve read over and over since the mid 80s and I just love the way David wove his stories. 

I’d use Savage Worlds for the mechanical aspects of the game because it’s a perfect system for the world. Flawed heroes and really nasty villains abound and there are great big holes in the timeline that an RPG could easily operate in without affecting canon. 

I’ll let you into a secret. A couple of years ago I partnered with Triple Ace Games and we put a proposal to David’s estate to get a license to produce this game. We had fans, famous authors and even a member of David’s family on our side but we heard nothing back. I was gutted.

11 I know, they were supposed to be 10, but I have one more question before we say goodbye. Please point us to a song you think we should listen to.

On The Turning Away by Pink Floyd.

It carries a poignant message that is highly relevant in these difficult times. 

Thank you Allan! Bye!!

Thanks for the opportunity to speak with you and to everybody who has read this far!

Stay safe and Happy Gaming. 

So go check out The Secret Files of Section D!

Stay tuned for more interviews! Hit me on the Axian Spice Facebook page, on Twitter or even on Telegram to never miss one! 

If you want to support this blog, check my OSR and Savage Worlds stuff, or simply shop on DriveTrhuRPG (affiliate link).

10 QUESTIONS TO: Diogo Nogueira

Diogo Nogueira is a one man band: game designer, illustrator and layout artist of Old Skull Publishing games.
His most successful games include:

Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells

Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells

Dark Streets & Darker Secrets

Lost in the Fantasy World

He’s also designed Garden of Bones, one of the “Deadly Dungeons Hosts” adventures for Gold & Glory!

Diogo is also a father, a cat lover, and one of the few internationally known game designers from Brazil.

 

1 Hello Diogo. Tell us about your work as a designer, as if you were trying to explain it to my aunt!

I write, I draw and I combine the two things in a pretty and comprehensive package? Well, I love tabletop gaming, especially RPGs, that brings friends together to create something unique only they can create together. So I try to follow my heart and I create games I would like to play. I try to draw from many different sources, from literature, comics, cartoons, movies, other games, history and even our daily lives to make something that speaks to me and, hopefully to others as well. My focus is to make games with simple yet very flexible rules that allow people to play with as little preparation as possible, and requiring very little rules consultation during the game.




2 Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells was your first hit as Old Skull Publishing. What have you learnt about design in particular since its publication?

I’ve learned that the way you present the rules and arrange them is as important as the rules themselves. You may have a very tight and well thought system, but if the presentation isn’t good, it won’t seem it’s like that for many people. Graphic Design, Information Design and Game Design are actually way more connected than we think. I am still learning a lot and each new game I make I think gets me a little bit further in my practice.

3 Dark Streets & Darker Secrets is defined as a “Street & Sorcery Rules Light Role-Playing Game with an Old School spirit”. That’s a lot! Can you explain the setting, and how the rules are Old School?

Street & Sorcery is my way of saying this is a sword and sorcery game in modern times. So imagine if Conan, Fafhrd and Grey Mouser and other iconic S&S characters lived in our world today, and you get Dark Streets & Darker Secrets. It’s a game that’s inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, Dresden Files, X-Files, Grimm and so on. In terms of rules, it presents a modern and streamlined system that fosters the style of play presented in the Quick Primer for Old School Gaming and Principia Apocrypha. It focus on player’s skill instead of character powers and rules, it’s open ended, it encourages improvisation, the focus on emergent storytelling and not character building and so onz

4 The Rumors rules in the Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells Addendum are, in my view, one of the smartest rules I’ve ever read, and the perfect example of how your games blend the Old School spirit with more modern solutions. Which are the modern games that you’ve appreciated the most?

I play everything. I love the OSR, but any games that seems interesting to me I do my best to try it and experiment with it. Some of the games that inspire me outside of the OSR are The One Ring, Cortex Prime, Genesys, Fate, Blades in the Dark, Fiasco. There are probably others, but it’s hard to keep all of them on your mind. There are so many cool games out there.

5 Crowdfunding has become more and more important for RPGs. Do you see that changing anytime soon? How would YOU like things to change?

I don’t see it changing any time soon, at least internationally and in the US. Here in Brazil Crowdfunding is not seen with good eyes anymore as many publishers have done less than reputable things with it. I like crowdfunding because it’s a great way to connect with a community and get people involved. It allows people to pursue projects they could not pursue by themselves alone. However, it would be great if the fees were reduced or if there was a way to give more visibility to indie creators in these platforms. I would love to say that I wish creators earned enough money to be able to fund projects themselves, but nowadays almost everyone is struggling. But I can dream.

6 I know you are currently working on several games. The one that intrigues me the most is Descent into the Abyss, a Diablo inspired dungeon crawling solo rpg. A project that shares the same inspiration as Curse of Aufgartz... What can you tell us about it?

I can tell you that I have little idea of what I am doing, lol. Solo Game Design is a bit scarier for me because balance seems a bit more important because you won’t have the GM as a buffer and companion Game Designer to help you. The book has to do all the work. So I am experimenting with it and will probably release parts of it for people to play with and give me feedback. The goal is to make a Solo Dungeon Crawling game that feels like diablo but plays nice and easy. You will be able to choose different builds for your character. You will make choices before going to the dungeons that will affect the game. The dungeons will be procedurally generated, but will have unique tables and themes for each area (Cathedral of Death, Haunted Catacombs, Infernal Caverns and so on). It’s a love letter to a game I played a lot but also a reinterpretation of it.



7 If you could buy any franchise/IP for an RPG, which would it be? Tell us about the franchise and the game you’d make.

Gosh, that’s hard. I love so many IPs and would love to make games about them. This is the hardest question here. I think if I gotta pick just one, I would pick… Cadillacs and Dinosaurs!



8 Younger players. Any experience or tips you want to share? Has your experience as a father influenced the design of Lost in the Fantasy World?

Oh yeah, absolutely. I played with younger audiences before my son too as we organize Tabletop Events in schools here in Brazil from time to time. Kids and people new to the hobby have a lot of untapped creativity and they want to pour it all out on the game. And if you say no to them they will shut down. So try to say yes as much as you can, even if it a “yes, but…” where there are consequences or they need to pass a test of sorts. Some games are more loose than others and fit this style better.

9 Your games are published by Gallant Knight Games. What can you tell us about your collaboration?

Gallant Knight Games is great! They do all the boring stuff for me and I get to just create things with total freedom. Not to mention being from Brazil, I am very limited geographically, ans GKG is able to take my games to conventions and deal with distributors more easily than I can. Not to mention that Alan Bahr from GKG is a great friend and a mentor to me. I’ve learned a lot with him.


10 You are the only game designer that I know from Southern America. Do you think your origin has affected your games? Have you ever felt as an outsider in the rpg community at large (in a good or bad way)?

I’ve been asked this a few times and I am not 100% sure if it has. I try not to think so much about it and being too close to analyze my own stuff, I think this is easier to answer for someone else. But I am starting to think it affects my stuff a little bit. Being from a country always under the influence of more powerful nations, I often associate power and influence with something bad. The distrust of authority, the way governments, corporations and people appear in my games may be shaped by my perception of reality from down here. And yes, I constantly feel like an outsider in the RPG Community at large, in many ways. The way that people talk about living of games, production and distribution, or simply their reality. I go outside the house here and I am always afraid I can get shot. People in my social media from other places seem really surprised to hear gunshots. Here it’s a constant reality. I wish it wasn’t.



11 I know, they were supposed to be 10, but I have one more question before we say goodbye. Please point us to a song you think we should listen to.

A song? Just one? I guess I will have to go with What a Wonderful World by Joey Ramone. It just fills me with hope and joy!

Thank you Diogo! Bye!!

Stay tuned for more interviews! Hit me on the Axian Spice Facebook page, on Twitter or even on Telegram to never miss one! 

If you want to support this blog, check my OSR and Savage Worlds stuff, or simply shop on DriveTrhuRPG (affiliate link).

10 QUESTIONS TO: Massimiliano Caracristi

Massimiliano Caracristi is the lead designer of Against the Darkmaster ("VsD"), the recently crowdfunded RPG of “Epic High Fantasy and Heavy Metal Combat”, and currently going strong on DriveThruRPG.

But who is Massimiliano? Massimiliano is a cat lover and a metalhead, and he strikes me as an introverted but resolute person.

1 Hello Massimiliano. Tell us about Against the Darkmaster as if you were trying to sell it to my aunt!

Ever wanted to be the protagonist of your very own novel? To leave the world behind for a few hours and live an exciting adventure, while comfortably sitting at home, sipping wine with your friends? With Against the Darkmaster you can!

You’ll take the role of a mighty hero, the last hope of the world against the threat of an immensely powerful being of pure evil: the Darkmaster.

You’ll travel to distant lands, face terrible dangers, uncover ancient items of power, and gather the armies of the world under your banner, in an epic fight against the ultimate evil. And all this without ever leaving your living room!

Come on, it’s your chance to finally get an answer to your “who’s winning?” question! 

2 Tell us about your job as lead designer, what’s the story of the development, and what are the rules that make VsD unique?

Against the Darkmaster is very much a group effort. Open Ended Games, our company, started as a simple group of friends on the internet. We would chat, play, and share house rules and “hacks” for the games we were playing. That’s how VsD started, too. We were talking about collecting all of our house rules for MERP, one of our all-time favorite games, and realized we could have made a completely new game out of them.

As the lead designer for this project, besides writing the bulk of the rules, my job is to make sure they fit together and support the theme of the game. Also, keeping track of the playtesters’ feedback is of primary importance, since it’s the only way to know if the rules work as intended!

Speaking of rules, I’d say that what makes VsD unique is that it emulates a very specific sub-genre of fantasy. You’re not going to play a party of simple adventurers or treasure-hunters but as a group of true heroes fighting the evil overlord threatening their world. So we’ve got a Passions and Drive system, designed to bring your characters’ motivations and goals into play and to help you spotlighting their heroic nature.

Detailed rules for long, epic journeys. Dangerous magic. Kins, cultures, and background options tightly tied to the genre’s tropes.

And, of course, rules for creating your very own Darkmaster, from his name and origins to his favored minions and his influence on the campaign setting.

3 So… what’s up with heavy metal?

Heavy metal is the law! For us, heavy metal and roleplaying always went hand in hand. Back in high school, we’d listen to Maiden or Priest while waiting to meet our friends for a session, named our PCs after band members, stole our adventures’ plots from the lyrics of Dio or Blind Guardian.

Against the Darkmaster is our homage to those days. We wanted it to have the same energy, strike the same chords.

Our art is heavily inspired by the Power Metal aesthetics and the combat system is fast and brutal like a Speed Metal solo. We even give you guidelines for turning the lyrics of your favorite metal anthem into your hero’s motivation!

4 Are you satisfied with the reception the game got so far?

We’re overwhelmed! We’d never expected such a positive reaction. I mean, we’re a tiny little company and the Core Rules have been out for what, three weeks? And yet we’ve been in DrivethruRPG top ten since then, together with giants like Onyx Path and Cubicle 7! You people are truly amazing!

5 Let’s talk about the Kickstarter that launched Against the Darkmaster. How do you rate this experience? What have you learned?

We’ve got mixed feelings about Kickstarter. We’re probably still too close to the campaign to give a completely objective answer. Running a KS campaign is an emotional rollercoaster. People will amaze and surprise you. One minute you’re on the top of the world, the next one it’ll feel as you’ll never make it. Be prepared!

6 Kickstarters have become more and more important for RPGs. Do you see that changing anytime soon? Would YOU like things to change somehow?

I think the trend is going to stay for quite a long time, can’t really see it changing in the near future. I’d like to see small indie creators be given more opportunities than big companies. On the other hand, those companies bring lots of people to KS, so it’s kinda a necessary evil.

7 You mentioned MERP before, can you tell us more about VsD's relationship with that game?

Sure. As I’ve said, Against the Darkmaster started out as a simple fan-made revision of MERP, ICE’s classic game based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. However, we soon realized that our project was growing on its own, and becoming something completely different. We had changed and rewritten so many things that we now had in our hands a new game.

Some have called VsD a retro-clone, but I’d say it’s more of a love-letter. MERP fans will find the VsD somewhat familiar, yet ultimately different from the game they remember.

But you don’t have to be a MERP fan to enjoy VsD! New players will have just as much fun as old grognards in joining the fight Against the Darkmaster!

8 Excluding Against the Darkmaster, what are your Top Three RPGs?

I’m currently pretty excited about Mörk Borg and the upcoming Flames of Freedom, but if I have to choose my all-time favorites I’d say MERP, The Burning Wheel, and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.

9 What are you working on now? Are you considering new projects?

We’ve got a few adventures and rules supplements planned, and we’re working on a third party license and community content agreement, that’ll allow anyone to publish their own Against the Darkmaster creations!

10 One last question before we say goodbye. Please point us to a song you think we should listen to.

You can’t go more VsD than Time Stands Still (at the Iron Hill) by Blind Guardian.

Thank you for your time Massimiliano! Bye!!

Stay tuned for more interviews! Hit me on the Axian Spice Facebook page, on Twitter or even on Telegram to never miss one! 

If you want to support this blog, check my OSR and Savage Worlds stuff, or simply shop on DriveTrhuRPG (affiliate link).

10 QUESTIONS TO: Pâris Conte

Pâris Conte is programs designer and creator of the GAMER department of genU in Victoria, Australia.

Pâris also is a big RPG and miniature games enthusiast, and one of the nicest persons I have met on the internet. He also appears to own a lot of baseball caps and Geek Jerseys.

1 Hello Pâris. Tell us more about the genU GAMER program. What is the goal? What is the strategy? Tell us all about it!

The GAMER department of genU in Victoria Australia is all about having a ton of fun, but its mission is profoundly serious. Using a variety of table-top and electronic gaming hobbies, the team at GAMER assists young people to develop a variety of interpersonal and coping skills.
GAMER’s goal is threefold.

First is to provide a safe, inclusive, and fun environment for young people that is conducive to their self-development of coping and interpersonal skills. These core skills are essential to communication, empathy, and processing information effectively and are the foundation everyone uses to achieve needs and goals.

Second is to assist young people find their place in the world. Not by conforming to a norm, but by celebrating the strengths they possess and communicating those strengths in beneficial ways so that others appreciate those strengths as well. 

And third is to remove the stigma around mental health and increase the general understanding of the effect brains have on everything people do.

GAMER assists a wide range of youth and we typically support young people living with the challenges of psychosocial disability and/or a non-neurotypical brain. Sounds like we work with exceedingly rare people when it is said like that, huh? Well the truth is, I would bet my bottom dollar that you and your readers not only know people that fit this classification but may identify with one or both.

Psychosocial disability is when someone’s mental health becomes poor and affects affects their ability to cope with social interactions or interact with their community in a way that is beneficial. You may have heard of terms like anxiety, depression, phobia, or post-traumatic stress. These, and a whole bunch of other things, come under psychosocial disability.

A non-neurotypical diagnosis does not mean that the individual has a faulty or broken brain, far from it in fact.

Non-neurotypical brains do operate differently to what is considered a typical brain, but different does not mean incorrect. The differences mostly centre around the way the individual processes and comprehends social cues and sensory input. You have likely heard of terms like Autism (ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder), Asperger’s (Part of the spectrum of Autism) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). These all come under non-neurotypical, but do not let the term “disorder” lead you down the wrong path. Many incredible and talented people have non-neurotypical brains and their ranks are made up of accomplished academics, artists, engineers, tradespeople, teachers, and leaders from all walks of life.

Our strategy is amazingly simple. We leverage the power of play and positive peer guidance to provide organic and meaningful experiences of learning and exploration.

Everyone that attends GAMER programs have personal goals. These goals might be things relating to:

• the way they communicate, which is as much about listening, and reading body language and emotions as it is about presenting effectively.
• the way they process information which may include better or creative problem solving, understanding consequence of action, comprehending the motivation of others, and dealing with setbacks.
• understanding themselves. The individual may be struggling with self-identity and how they see their actual value. It may be about understanding themselves in relation to their community, trusting others, and teamwork. It could be about setting meaningful goals and discovering not only the direction their life should head but understanding the necessary milestones along the way. It could also be about developing coping skills and strategies to overcome mental illness and maintaining good mental health.

GAMER facilitators use these personal goals as the blueprint for how to deliver the programs. The participant is added to groups that we believe will provide the most relevant peer connections and best opportunities for development. This is typically based on appropriate maturity levels, similar goals, and compatible gaming and pop culture interests of all members of the group.

Games and activities are facilitated to provide organic and meaningful exploration and practice of the skills being focused on, as well as a high potential of positive guidance and reflection by peers.

2 Tell us about YOUR job within the program! What do you do, actually?

Believe it or not, my official job title is Head Dragon Wrangler. One of the advantages of building a department from scratch is you get to give yourself a title as well. 😉

I am the manager of all the GAMER sites in my region and responsible for supporting and training my staff, evolving current programs, and developing new ones. Just for the record, my staff’s job titles are either:

• Dragon Wrangler – Which means they are Role Playing Game facilitators, War Game Facilitators, Board and Card Game Facilitators, and/or Miniatures painting facilitators.
• Digital Vanguard – Which means they are Video Game Facilitators or Multimedia Facilitators (which includes The GAMER Podcast and GAMER TV programs).

3 How do you pick games for the program? Do you use them as they are, or adapt them somehow?

The games we pick are very much dependant on the interests of the participants and how they naturally provide the development opportunities we are looking for.

We do not modify games or use specially designed games for our programs. There are two main reasons for this.

One, GAMER is about celebrating and exploring what people already are invested in because that is part of who they are.

Two, we want people to join gaming groups outside of GAMER and it is much easier to do so if you have already played the games being used.

D&D 5e is extremely popular in our community and at our local gaming store, so we play 5e at GAMER. Board games and card games that are popular have a home at GAMER, but we also welcome people introducing new games into our space. It must be noted that Savage Worlds is gaining popularity in our region and, apart from me, there are two other Savage Worlds GMs at GAMER. 😊

While we do not modify games, we do lean towards games that easily and organically lend themselves to skill building. Where possible we will use co-op board games, or team-based games, over ones where the players are against each other. This does not mean we do not use player vs player games. They can be good for teaching regulation of emotions, empathy, etc. It really depends on the group.

An example of how we might use an off the shelf game to assist someone:

Imagine a person who likes card games but currently has few skills with team work and may communicate in a way that upsets others. In this instance they may gloat when they win and get upset when they lose. It is not that this person is a bad person, they just do not currently have the skills and understanding of their impact on others. I might suggest playing DC Deck Building Game by Cryptozoic Entertainment. The core game is competitive, easy to learn, and is full of the characters from the DC Comics universe. 

We would play the base game first, promoting positive interaction skills using our program system. After the individual has demonstrated adaption to the way they present their wins and losses, we would introduce the Confrontations expansion. This adds a couple of rules so that players play as part of one team vs another. We keep the competitive element that the individual is attracted too, but we can now demonstrate the benefits and understanding of teamwork.

Once the individual becomes comfortable with the team game, we might introduce a Crisis-expansion. This expansion makes the base game a completely cooperative game as all the players must work together, even giving up some of the best cards to others because it is better for the team, so they can overcome all the crisis events and defeat the super villains. 

 

Everything we do is based on gently pressing against individuals comfort zones; that sweet spot where beneficial adaption grows. For some adaption is faster than others, so the above example could take a couple of sessions, a couple of months or even a year before the goal is attained.

4 Tell us about the Rainbow Dungeons & Dragons group and, what is your view on inclusion in the hobby at large?

GAMER is all about inclusion, so It was important that we can provide a group where individuals that identify with the LGBTQIA+ community can not only feel safe, but feel safe to be themselves; even if they have not come out to friends and family.

I can only speak about the hobby in Australia, but I suspect it is not much different around the world. Before it was cool to play tabletop games, our hobby was inclusive. It did not matter who a person was, it only mattered that they loved the same games. I have been to gaming conventions right across this country and every game table I have seen is always a mix of cultures and identities sharing games, learning from each other, and creating good memories.

The focus on inclusion in our hobby is not new, but now that our games are more widely understood and accepted, we are making an impact through leading by example and not being scared to address the issues.

I realise that there are vocal voices in the community that claim pandering to minority groups is destroying the hobby. They are loud because of social media, but they are an exceedingly small part of the hobby and, most importantly, are incorrect.

Diversity has always been the strength of tabletop gaming. Everyone has always had a home in our hobby and because of this our community continues to grow stronger and our games are continually getting better.

5 Representation of minorities in RPGs has become a hot topic, recently. Has it ever come as an issue in your work?

It has never been an issue, but we talk about it all the time.

We have discussions about perpetuating stereotypes in pop culture, the misuse of words that cause harm to various communities when attached to a negative experience, and about misconceptions regarding various peoples and communities.

We want to promote discussion and reflection over almost any topic so that participants can learn, develop empathy, and consider/process points of view counter to their own. Our participants must feel safe to talk in our space, or we cannot assist or guide them effectively.

However, we must always ensure that GAMER is a safe space, so we do redirect discussions just before they can become inappropriate.

6 What are the most popular RPGs within the GAMER program?

Dungeons & Dragons 5e, Savage Worlds Adventure Edition and Fantasy Age.

7 And what are your Top Three RPGs?

Hmmm ... depends on what you mean by my top three? My current top 3 or the ones that have influenced me the most?

My current top 3:

• Savage Worlds Adventure Edition
• The Year Zero Engine
• The AGE system

The games that influenced me the most, top 3:

• Basic & Expert Dungeons and Dragons (Red & Blue Box)
• Star Wars D6
• Savage Worlds Deluxe

8 Has your job changed the way you play/run games? What lessons have you learned, as a GM or player, and want to share?

Definitely. There are many, but the most important I think is ... just roll with it.

When you have played for as long as I have, you can get preconceived ideas about how games should run. Fighters should fight, Clerics should be vessels of the gods, NPCs are just there for plot hooks, Dragons should horde treasure, Orcs and Dwarves are always enemies, etc., etc.

My participants never stop throwing me curve balls and I love them for it. Unburdened by preconceptions of how fantasy or sci-fi worlds should be interacted with, the actions they take, the people they seek out to talk to, and the solutions they come up with can come from left field. This has even left me speechless as my brain tried to factor on possibilities I never saw coming, and because I am smiling so hard. This does not mean that our games are just silly encounters, far from it. They are just not typical. Amazing, inspiring, and engaging stories have been shared because my players see value in things that many experienced RPG players can overlook.

I needed this.

Once I let go of my preconceptions and just played what was in front of me, the gaming moments became magical and it breathed new life into my love of the hobby.

9 Nerdy parents are introducing their children to RPGs everywhere, and kids-oriented RPGs are being released every year. Do you think games should be adapted for younger players?

Kids have been role playing since humankind first walked the earth. As a species we are pre-programed to watch those around us and learn by coupling mimicry with imagination. Kids do not require a written game for this, but RPGs can be helpful for parents looking for ways to join in and bolster their kids fun and learning.

Young kids do not always have the patience or attention span for rule governed games, even rule lite ones. You may be better off handing them cardboard boxes to fashion into forts, cars, dinosaurs, or spaceships. Paper tubes become everything from wands to telescopes to laser cutters. Just be there with them, play alongside them and listen to the stories they come up with. I guarantee you it will be better than any packaged product.

Introduce your kids to RPGs, but do not be disheartened if they do not get it or want to play in ways the rules don’t say. There is plenty of time to introduce them to the hobby you love, and they will get it when they are ready.

10 One last question before we say goodbye. Please point us to a song you think we should listen to.

Walk of the Earth’s cover of HAPPY

Thank you for your time Pâris! Bye!!

It was more than my pleasure mate!

Stay tuned for more interviews! Hit me on the Axian Spice Facebook page, on Twitter or even on Telegram to never miss one! 

If you want to support this blog, check my OSR and Savage Worlds stuff, or simply shop on DriveTrhuRPG (affiliate link).